Friday, March 01, 2013

MOUNT VERNON, IA - The Calvin women’s basketball team traveled to the campus of Cornell College for its first round matchup of the NCAA DIII Tournament Friday evening. Facing the University of St. Thomas in a rematch of the first game of the year, the Knights looked to knock off the Tommies for the second time in as many attempts while avenging a quarterfinal loss to St. Thomas in last year’s tournament. Calvin defeated St. Thomas 78-72 earlier this year, while in last year’s tournament, the Knights fell to the Tommies 83-72. In the end, it was the Tommies who would again get the best of the Knights in the tournament, hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to claim a 64-62 victory and knock Calvin out of the tournament for a second straight year.

Monday, February 25, 2013

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced its All-MIAA women’s basketball team for the 2012-13 season. Calvin center Carissa Verkaik was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season. Verkaik, a senior from Holland (Holland Christian HS), became the MIAA’s all-time career scoring leader this year, finishing with 1,219 points in 64 league games. She led the league this year in scoring (20.8 points per game in conference play), rebounding (8.7 per game), blocked shots (3.4 per game) and free throw shooting (.942). She also became just the third player in MIAA women’s basketball history to be named to the all-conference first team all four years of her career.In addition, Verkaik and Calvin sophomore Kayla Engelhard (Unionville/Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS) were both named to the All-MIAA first team. Verkaik is receiving All-MIAA first team accolades for the fourth straight year. She is the third individual in MIAA women’s basketball history to do so and all have come from Calvin. The other two are 2007 Calvin graduate Lisa Winkle and 2009 Calvin graduate Marcia Harris. Engelhard meanwhile is receiving All-MIAA honors for the first time in her career. Engelhard is averaging 9.3 points and 3.2 rebounds a game this year. Meanwhile, Calvin senior Julia Hilbrands (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) was named to the All-MIAA second team. Hilbrands averaged 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game this year coming off the bench. Calvin is scheduled to travel to Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, this weekend. Calvin will take on the University of St. Thomas in a first round game Friday night at Cornell College.

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Calvin College women’s basketball team is headed to Mount Vernon, Iowa, for an NCAA III region hosted by Cornell College. Calvin (23-3) will face St. Thomas (22-5) in a first round game at 6 p.m. (EST) while host Cornell (24-1) will face St. Scholastica (13-14) in the other first round contest at 8:30 p.m. (EST). Friday’s winners will play Saturday night at 8 p.m. (EST). The Calvin/St. Thomas game will feature a pair of familiar opponents as Calvin and St. Thomas have met twice in a span of less than a year. St. Thomas defeated Calvin 83-72 in overtime in the 2012 national quarterfinals in Chicago, Illinois. The two opponents then met each other in the 2012-13 season opener in November at a tournament hosted by Millikin University with Calvin prevailing 78-72. Calvin, ranked third in the most recent poll by d3hoops.com, has made quarterfinal appearances in 2005, 2007 and 2012. St. Thomas fell to George Fox in last year’s national semifinals. Calvin is 18-14 all-time in NCAA III Tournament play. Calvin will be making its seventh NCAA III Tournament appearance under head coach John Ross.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

The MIAA Tournament Championship pitted the #3 Calvin College Knights and #2 Hope Flying Dutch in the third installment of the rivalry this season. It was the eighth time the two teams have met in the Tournament Championship, with Hope holding a 5-2 edge but losing the last two championship contests. After forty hard-fought minutes, it was the Flying Dutch who came out on top, utilizing strong team defense to earn a 62-59 victory. Calvin will now play a waiting game to see if it receives an at-large bid to the NCAA III Tournament next week. The NCAA III Tournament field will be announced on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at: http://www.ncaa.com Calvin was led in defeat by senior Carissa Verkaik with 24 points and 13 rebounds as she notched her 47th collegiate double-double in the process.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Coming off just its second loss of the season at the hands of rival Hope, the #3 Calvin women’s basketball team looked like a team with something to prove in its MIAA Tournament semifinal against Trine Wednesday evening. The Knights took the early lead and did not look back, building a double-digit advantage and cruising to the 83-48 victory. Calvin advances to the MIAA Tournament Championship game on Saturday and will host rival Hope at 3 p.m. at Van Noord Arena. Senior Carissa Verkaik led all scorers with 18 points while adding 11 rebounds. On her first rebound of the game, Verkaik became Calvin’s all-time leader in rebounds. Verkaik now holds the all-time records in points, rebounds, and blocked shots. Verkaik also boosted her career scoring total to 2,190 points, moving her into 19th place on the all-time NCAA Division III scoring list. Sophomore Hannah Acre chipped in nine points for the Knights while Tripp, sophomore Abby VanderWoude and senior Julia Hilbrands all scored eight points with Hilbrands grabbing eight rebounds as well.The game also marked a milestone for Calvin seniors Kelsey Irwin, Carissa Verkaik, Julia Hilbrands and Ally Wolffis as it marked the 100th victory at Calvin for the quartet. All four players have been four-year varsity players. In doing so, the group becomes the first set of players in Calvin women’s basketball history to win 100 games in a career. During their time at Calvin, the seniors have posted a won-loss record of 100-14.

General Admission tickets for Saturday’s game will be on sale at Calvin’s website (http://www.calvin.edu/boxoffice), and at the Calvin Box Office Thursday and Friday, February 21 and 22, from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Tickets will also be sold at the Arena starting at 1:00pm on Saturday. All tickets will be General Admission.

Ticket Prices: General Admission tickets are FREE for MIAA students with student ID. General Admission tickets are $3.00 for any college faculty/staff and students, High School students and
children, and $5.00 for all others. There is no limit on the number of tickets to be purchased.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

TOWSON, Md. – Senior center Carissa Verkaik has been chosen as the NCAA Division III Academic All-America® of the Year award winner for women’s basketball. In addition, she has also received a spot on the Capital One Division III Academic All-America first team. The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA (College Sports Information Director’s Association of America) with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2012-13 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program. Verkaik, a Capital One Academic All-America® third team honoree last year, is averaging 19.8 points per game. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association scoring leader, she ranks 19th in NCAA Division III. An elementary education major with a 3.76 G.P.A., Verkaik is a two-time D3hoops.com Great Lakes Region Player of the Year and a 2012 DIII News Player of the Year who averages 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. She is the second individual from Calvin to be named a Capital One Academic All-American of the Year this academic year as Calvin senior Lizzie Kamp was so honored in women’s volleyball this past December. It is the first time that Calvin has had two Capital One Academic All-Americans of the Year in the same academic year. Other Calvin student-athletes to have received the award include Chris Knoester in men’s basketball (1994), Joel Klooster in men’s cross country/track and field (2002) and Rebecca Kamp in women’s volleyball (2011).

Monday, February 18, 2013

The Calvin women’s basketball teams has gained the top seed for the MIAA Tournament this week. The Calvin women’s basketball team will host Trine University in the MIAA Tournament semifinals on Wednesday
at 7:30 p.m. The MIAA Tournament finals are scheduled for Saturday with the women’s final at 3 p.m. Calvin team were to win its MIAA Tournament semifinal game, Calvin would host the subsequent MIAA Tournament final on Saturday.

Ticket information for the Calvin/Trine women’s basketball game on Wednesday is as follows:

Wednesday, February 20 Games, 7:30 pm - Doors open at 6:30 pm

General Admission tickets for Wednesday’s game will be on sale at Calvin’s website (http://www.calvin.edu/boxoffice), and at the Box Office Monday through Wednesday, February 18 - 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets will also be sold at the Arena starting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Ticket Prices:
General Admission tickets are FREE for MIAA students with student ID. General Admission tickets are $3.00 for any college faculty/staff and students, High School students and children, and $5.00 for all others.
There is no limit on the number of tickets to be purchased.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

HOLLAND, Mich. - The second-ranked Calvin women’s basketball team suffered just its second defeat of the year on Saturday, falling at third-ranked hope 65-50. Calvin (22-2 overall, 15-1 MIAA) will share the MIAA regular season crown with Hope (24-1 overall, 15-1 MIAA) but Calvin will receive the top seed for the MIAA Tournament as Calvin won a post-game coin flip for seeding. Calvin will host a semifinal game next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against four-seeded Trine. In Saturday’s loss at Hope, Calvin trailed 47-21 at halftime, marking the most points Calvin has given up in a half since a loss at Wilmington College in November of 2001. Calvin came back in the second half to close within 12 but got not closer. Calvin outscored Hope 29-18 in the second half. Senior Carissa Verkaik had 19 points and 8 rebounds to move into a tie for first place on the Calvin career list for rebounds with Lisa Winkle. Both players now have 1,034 career boards. Sophomore Kayla Engelhard had 10 points. Calvin was outrebounded 42-29 in the loss and shot just 30 percent from the field.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Calvin-Hope women’s basketball rivalry will be in high gear on Saturday afternoon at Hope’s DeVos Fieldhouse as the MIAA regular season championship will be on the line. At 15-0 in league play, Calvin has already clinched a share of the league title but Hope (14-1 MIAA) could gain a share of its own with a win over the Knights Saturday. Calvin (22-1 overall) will enter the game ranked second nationally while Hope (23-1) is ranked third. Calvin captured the first meeting of the year 64-59 in a game played on January 12 at Calvin’s VanNoord Arena. Saturday’s game will feature a live stats scoreboard, an audio broadcast and a live video stream. Check the links below for more information. Also check out the Facebook page to vote on the game as the Division III Game of the Week.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

With an important game against the Flying Dutch of #3 Hope looming on Saturday, the #2 Calvin Knights stayed focused on their contest Wednesday against Adrian, defeating the Bulldogs 83-52. With the win, Calvin clinches a share of the MIAA regular season title. The title is the third straight for Calvin and the 14th in school history. Senior Carissa Verkaik and sophomore Breanna Verkaik had 12 points apiece to lead the Knights. Calvin is now 22-1 overall and remains undefeated in conference play at 15-0. Adrian drops to 7-16 on the year and 6-9 in the MIAA. The Knights now look forward to Saturday when they will play Hope which is a game back at 14-1 in league play. The game will be played at DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland, with the tip-off scheduled for 3 p.m.